Return to the Sentence Verification Task page
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*SENTENCE VERIFICATION TASK*
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Script Author: Katja Borchert, Ph.D. (katjab@millisecond.com) for Millisecond Software, LLC
Date: 07-29-2016
last updated: 03-13-2020 by K. Borchert (katjab@millisecond.com) for Millisecond Software, LLC
Script Copyright © 03-13-2020 Millisecond Software
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BACKGROUND INFO
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This script implements the Sentence Verification Task, a speeded-reasoning task
using speed and accuracy to study the interplay of 'naive' intuitions
(e.g. the 'sun moves around the earth') and contradictory scientific knowledge
(e.g. 'the earth moves around the sun').
The implemented procedure is based on:
Shtulman, A. & Valcarcel, J. (2012). Scientific knowledge suppresses but does not supplant
earlier intuitions. Cognition, 124, 209–215.
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TASK DESCRIPTION
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Participants are presented a variety of statements across several knowledge domains and have to decide
as fast as possible if these statements are true or false by selecting 'E' for true and 'I' for false.
Some of these statements differ in whether they are would be judged as 'true' according to a 'naive'
or a 'scientific' understanding/theory of the subject matter.
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DURATION
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the default set-up of the script takes appr. 15 minutes to complete
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DATA FILE INFORMATION
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The default data stored in the data files are:
(1) Raw data file: 'sentenceverificationtask_raw*.iqdat' (a separate file for each participant)*
build: The specific Inquisit version used (the 'build') that was run
computer.platform: the platform the script was run on (win/mac/ios/android)
date, time, date and time script was run
subject, group, with the current subject/groupnumber
script.sessionid: with the current session id
blockcode, blocknum: the name and number of the current block (built-in Inquisit variable)
trialcode, trialnum: the name and number of the currently recorded trial (built-in Inquisit variable)
Note: trialnum is a built-in Inquisit variable; it counts all trials run; even those
that do not store data to the data file such as feedback trials. Thus, trialnum
may not reflect the number of main trials run per block.
values.domain: domain name tested
values.stimConcept: concept tested
values.naiveCorrect: 1 = true by naive theory;
0 = otherwise
values.scientificCorrect: 1 = true by scientific theory;
0 = otherwise
values.truthConsistency: 1 = naive understanding and scientific theory are consistent (= would evoke the same response);
0 = otherwise (=potential conflict if scientific knowledge has been learned)
stimulusitem: the presented stimuli in order of trial presentation
here: the statement
response: the participant's response (scancode of responsekey)- built-in variable
18 = E (true)
23 = I (false)
values.responseCat: the interpreted key response-custom variable
1 = participant indicated 'true';
0 = participant indicated 'false'
correct: the correctness of the response
1 = response correct by scientific theory;
0 = incorrect otherwise
latency: the response latency (in ms); measured from onset of statement
(2) Summary data file: 'sentenceverificationtask_summary*.iqdat' (a separate file for each participant)*
computer.platform: the platform the script was run on (win/mac/ios/android)
script.startdate: date script was run
script.starttime: time script was started
script.subjectid: assigned subject id number
script.groupid: assigned group id number
script.sessionid: assigned session id number
script.elapsedtime: time it took to run script (in ms); measured from onset to offset of script
script.completed: 0 = script was not completed (prematurely aborted);
1 = script was completed (all conditions run)
Summary Data: correct = correct response according to scientific theory
expressions.propCorrect: overall proportion correct responses
expressions.meanRT: overall mean latency (in ms) of correct responses
expressions.SD: overall standard deviation (in ms) of latencies to correct responses
consistent = naive intuition and scientific knowledge result in same response
expressions.propCorrect_truthConsistent: proportion correct responses of consistent statements
expressions.meanRT_truthConsistent: mean latency (in ms) of correct responses of consistent statements
expressions.SD_truthConsistent: standard deviation (in ms) of latencies to correct responses of consistent statements
inconsistent = naive intuition and scientific knowledge result in different response
expressions.propCorrect_truthInconsistent: proportion correct responses of inconsistent statements
expressions.meanRT_truthInconsistent: mean latency (in ms) of correct responses of inconsistent statements
expressions.SD_truthInconsistent: standard deviation (in ms) of latencies to correct responses of inconsistent statements
expressions.RTDiff: the difference btw. "mean corrRT Inconsistent" - "mean corrRT Consistent" (in ms)
positive value: it took longer to correctly categorize Inconsistent statements
=> evidence of conflict btw. naive intuition and scientific knowledge
0: there was no advantage of Consistent statements
=> no evidence of conflict btw. naive intuition and scientific knowledge
negative value: it took longer to correctly categorize Consistent statements
Within the given framework, there is no satisfactory explanation for this
behavior
* separate data files: to change to one data file for all participants (on Inquisit Lab only), go to section
"DATA" and follow further instructions
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EXPERIMENTAL SET-UP
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10 domain blocks with 20 trials: 200 trials total
- order of blocks randomized
- each block tests one subject matter domain with 5 concepts x 4 questions per concept (see STIMULI below)
(domain is announced in the instructions presented before each block)
- order of questions within a block randomized
- half the questions are truth-consistent (same response for naive and scientific theory)
- by default, task is untimed
Note: if fewer than 10 blocks should be run, go to section EXPERIMENT and follow instructions
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STIMULI
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taken from the published supplemental material of Shtulman & Valcarcel (2012):
10 domains with 5 concepts. Each concept is tested with 4 questions:
- one question is true across scientific and naive theory
- one question is false across scientific and naive theory
- one question is true by the naive theory but false by the scientific theory
- one question is false by the naive theory but true by the scientific theory
Items can be viewed and edited under section STIMULI below
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INSTRUCTIONS
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Instructions are not original; they are provided by Millisecond Software and can be edited under section
Editable Instructions.
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EDITABLE CODE
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check below for (relatively) easily editable parameters, stimuli, instructions etc.
Keep in mind that you can use this script as a template and therefore always "mess" with the entire code
to further customize your experiment.
The parameters you can change are:
/trueResponsekey: the label for the 'true' responsekey (default: E); left response key
/falseResponsekey: the label for the 'false' responsekey (default: I); right response key
/fontsize: the fontsize of the statements in canvas height percentage (default: 5%)